With Black Friday now here, it’s clear that the dangers facing online shoppers are greater than ever. The latest reports suggest that fraudulent websites have increased by 89% compared to last year and almost 80% of shopping offers that land in inboxes are fraudulent. We’ve even seen Google search results distorted to direct traffic to dangerous websites.

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So it’s no surprise that the FBI has issued a new warning for online shoppers detailing the sellers to avoid on Black Friday, Cyber ​​Monday and throughout the holiday season. For all users of Chrome, Safari and Edge, which control 95% of the US browser market, this is an essential checklist to stay safe.

The FBI’s advice on which sellers to avoid consists of seven key points. Consider this your online safety check during the holiday season – don’t take any chances:

1. Do not purchase from websites before carefully checking the URL to ensure it is “legitimate and safe.” Websites should have the telltale secure connection padlock in the address bar and https at the beginning of the full address. If the site is not secure and the URL is obviously incorrect, move on.
2. Don’t buy from a site for the first time before doing some research and checking all available online reviews. Remember that reviews can also be fake. So don’t gloss over the first reviews you find.
3. If you use an auction site or similar marketplace, “be wary of sellers with predominantly unfavorable reviews or no reviews at all.” Look for sellers with a large number of completed transactions and positive reviews.
4. Do not buy from sellers “who act as authorized dealers or factory representatives of popular items in countries where such offers do not exist.” This is a well-known scam in which these stores accept orders and rarely ship goods. The goods shipped are usually counterfeits.
5. Also beware of sellers “who post an auction or listing as if they are located in the United States, but then respond to questions by stating that they are outside the country for business, family, or similar reasons .” This is also a typical scam in which the seller gives a plausible excuse for having an address or telephone number abroad. Move on.
6. Do not purchase from websites that provide unusual shipping options or offer to avoid customs controls or fees. Also, don’t buy from sellers you don’t know who require direct money transfers. Always use a credit card that offers additional controls and protection.
7. Do not pay for the items you purchase with prepaid gift cards. As the FBI explains: “In these scams, a seller will ask you to send them a gift card number and PIN. Instead of using that gift card for your payment, the scammer steals the money and you never receive your item.”

According to Check Point’s cyber research team, “Cybercriminals are working overtime – as Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday approach, threat actors are poised to exploit consumers hoping to take advantage of the annual discounts.” The team warns that “this year’s increase in Black Friday-related websites are 89% higher than the increase in the same period last year… Almost all of these websites claim to be well-known brands and almost none are classified as ‘safe’.”

Check Point offers a similar five-point checklist to the FBI:

1. “Check URLs carefully for misspellings or unusual host domains.
2. Make sure the URL starts with “https://” and displays a padlock icon.
3. When emails come in, compare the sender with emails that you know are genuine. Don’t click on anything you’re unsure about.
4. Don’t click through QR codes blindly.
5. “Never enter unnecessary details such as your Social Security number, and avoid entering additional information such as your birthday if it is not necessary.”

Check Point also gives some examples of the types of URLs designed to trick users into visiting fraudulent websites:

• Stüssy (Steatwear): stussycanadablackfriday(.)com
• Longchamp (bags): longchampblackfriday(.)com
• Wayfair (online home store): wayfareblackfriday(.)com
• SOREL (shoes): soreloutletblackfriday(.)com
• Crew (Retail): jcrewblackfriday(.)com
• IUN (shoes): black friday shoe(.)top

The additional focus on phishing is critical. This holiday season, Bitdefender warns that “cybercriminals have wasted no time in capitalizing on the frenzy,” as a staggering three out of four Black Friday-themed marketing “spam” emails are actually a scam based on it Aims to scam you out of your money Even install malware on your device to steal your credentials or data.

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This year we’ve seen a surge in AI-powered phishing lures that make it all too easy to impersonate a popular, trusted brand. And these enticing, time-sensitive offers can be distributed to email addresses on an industrial scale.

“Remember,” the FBI warns, “if it seems too good to be true, it is because it is.”